The Royal Oak, Hooksway

A pub in an absolutely wonderful location..... Great views, lovely aspect, and perfect for the walker or cyclist.

That is really the only positive thing I can say for this pub, unfortunately, as having made a few pilgrimages there recently, my opinion has been more than made up:

The last few times, I have made a visit, I have come with all my family - that is my girlfriend, our children, my brother, his children, my good friend, and our dogs. We have tended to park in the pub car park, walked for a good couple of hours, and finished back at the pub, to quench all of our thirsts and fill some hungry bellies. We arrived there one morning about 10.30am and were told immediately by the landlord, in a rather bruske manner that we could not park where we were as the dust-lorry would be along to empty the bins at some point during the day. An understandable predicament for the landlord, but his harsh attitude gave the impression that we should all have been well aware of this from the start, despite any signage indicating a waste collection, or in fact any reason we couldn't park there!

Parking aside, in the three times since then when we have requested food and drink, we have been made to feel as though we are inconveniencing the landlord and the landlady while placing our orders. I can only compare the attitude of both to something from Fawlty Towers. As there were quite a few of us, we asked to set up 2 tabs - my brother for his family, and me for mine. It was as though we had asked for the pub to be moved a few meters to the left! The landlady in particular seemed to find this most inconvenient, and siged and rolled her eyes as she begrudgingly filled out another paper tab sheet - both of which totalled in excess of 40 pounds once we had paid!

Visiting again recently we asked to do the same, and were greeted with the same attitude - as if they were saying "how dare you want to give us your business!" PlusI overheard her telling the landlord - "It's them, they always do seperate tabs". How is this inconveniencing you, Royal Oak.... How? Both tabs totalled 100 pounds this time for food and drink!

All in all, I cannot remember another single incident at any other venue, where I was made to feel like a complete and total inconvenience for wanting to bring my family to this pub. I would understand if the children and dogs were behaving anti-socially and irritating the other customers, but this was sadly not the case!

I also overheard the landlord on the telephone turning down a large booking as the party would have arrived at 1.45 and the kitchen shuts at 2, and would not be able to cater for them! Unbelievable!!

I would recommend this pub be avoided like the plague, as I can think of no worse way to end a beautiful walk in one of the most lovely parts of the South of England, than to be treated like this! To the landlord and landlady of the Royal Oak, Hooksway - your establishment could be a goldmine, and in the current climate, to treat and lose customers like this is nothing short of utter foolhardiness!!

I SHALL NOT EVER RETURN TO THE PUB

PS. I have just read some other users comments, and see I am not alone here!

5 Jun 2011 21:30